Central-Milne Bay road contruction is amongst more than K1.4 billion of new road contracts nationwide announced by Prime Minister James Marape.

This K164 million road project means Port Moresby will be connected with Milne Bay Province via Central’s Magi Highway. The capital is one of the few cities around the world that is not connected via road transport.

He announced the Cabinet decision before a massive crowd of thousands of people in rural Margarima, Hela, on Friday (January 14 2022).

The K1.4 billion worth of road contracts adds to those already in place under the Marape Government’s signature ‘Connect PNG Programme’ for which about K1 billion has been expended over the last two years on roads throughout the country.

The Prime Minister announced the awarding of contracts of:

• K159 million for the Ramu-Madang stretch of the Ramu Highway in Madang;

• K147.5 million for the first stretch of the Wewak-Vanimo Highway up to Aitape;

• K115.9 million for the Momote Airport-West Coast Road in Manus;

• K164 million for upgrade of Imulima Bridge-Moreguina stretch of Magi Highway in Central, to eventually link up with Milne Bay;

• K70 million for Bautauma-Imulima Bridge section of Magi Highway in Central;

• K138.5 million for New Britain Highway from Kimbe in West New Britain to Kokopo in East New Britain;

• K400 million for Yalu Bridge-Nadzab Four-Lane Highway in Markham Valley of Morobe;

• K50 million for sealing of Kiunga-Tabubil Highway in Western, which will ultimately leads on to remote Telefomin in West Sepik;

• K15 million for sealing of Daru Town roads;

• K66 million for Bulolo Highway resealing; and,

• K80 million for sealing of Halimbu-Koroba Road in Hela;

These all add up to K1.4 billion.

“Over the last two years, we have spent almost K1 billion on roads all over Papua New Guinea,” PM Marape said.

“That’s why roads are already going into remote places like Maramuni in Enga, Karamui in Chimbu, Simbai in Madang and Finschhafen in Morobe.”